Friday with Finishes

When I say it is Friday and Finishes, I really, really mean it!

Friday

It's a special Friday!!

I am over at Jennifer's at Knotted Thread today!

First, I am flattered that she is having me.  Second, if you have not been over to her blog...get thee there quickly.  I am jealous of a few...okay, many...of her projects.  Third, she is currently living on Maui, Hawaii.  You all know how much I loved it there last summer for our anniversary!

If you are just visiting?  Welcome.  I have some recent projects to share...so you arrived just in time!

Finishes

My Special Delivery Quilts!!!

These quilts were bought last month on a whim from the clearance bin at Joann's.   I needed something FAST.  Story details HERE.  Unfortunately, there were many foibles and sometimes I was completely stuck on where to go next with each quilt.  I will map out my problems throughout the post.

Baby Boy Quilt

 

 A sweet animal panel with flannel borders.

This quilt did not have enough flannel to meet the instructions included. Even AFTER I had found the corrected instructions!!  I was pretty frustrated and just made do with leftover scraps.  You can see them in the bottom two corners. 

Because of this, I ran out of extra flannel from the backing (the squiggly stripe fabric) for the name appliques they said it should have.  I ended up pulling orange (almost a sherbert shade) to match the existing orange flannel fabric. 

 

The quilting for this center panel really had me flustered.  I started with the letters, being really messy.  Have I mentioned how hard it is to be intentionally messy?

For the negative areas, I VERY loosely mimicked what looked to be "echo" quilting in the print.

I used embroidery thread for the orange.  I wanted it to shimmer.  You can't tell in the pictures, but it really made your eye want to go to the orange areas! 

The monkey received some swirls.  I also tried to outline each animal, but not be exactly on the "line" breaking all kindergarten class rules, right?  Are all the teachers out there cringing?

 

I only quilted the mane of the lion, I left the rest of him alone.  I just loosely mimicked the black swirl with the orange embroidery thread.

I was pretty boring on other animals like the zebra...just outlined his stripes.

I really was quite frustrated with the panel as a whole. I didn't want to over quilt it because it WAS a baby quilt, but I also did not want it to be puffy like a comforter.  I hope I found a balance.

I was also extremely annoyed that the small amount flannel for both quilts actually created a major trimming of the panels.  It was sad to see so much cut off.  I lost an entire hill of grass under all the animals. For the girl quilt below, the tree also had grass and a small hill at the bottom, but I didn't want to lose the owl, birds, and banner.

"Little" Big Girl

Maitee's quilt seemed to come together a lot more quickly.  I had cut her blocks and pieced them before I found the corrected instructions.  However, it seemed that the original border cut instructions were much more accommodating.   I am still struggling to figure out why they changed them.

The tree forced me to quilt the negative space with swirls that matched the existing white swirl fabric.

I actually had leftover flannel (the dotted material in the bottom left corner) from the backing, but I wasn't impressed with the flannel on top of the cotton panel, so I pulled a bit of pink sketchy fabric from my stash.  I decided to get a bit messy with the quilting around the letters since the scribbles seemed messy also!

I quilted a repetitive heart over the preexisting heart.

I tried to do add accents to various circles and flowers like the dotted circle below!

Both quilt kits instructed that the quilt was to be sewn together right sides and then turned out.  I was not a fan since I wanted to do the FMQ and didn't think it would work out well.  I chose a simple pink on pink striped fabric from my stash for the binding.

For the boy quilt I used an aqua/teal fabric I had from my stash.  I don't have a photo because I was rushing to wrap them up for their delivery to dad!

I will say it here.  Lessons that I have learned?  I will NEVER impulsively buy a kit from Joann's again. I have had very good luck in the past, but I think these two did me in.  I will just create a simple quilt instead.  I will also probably avoid flannel for a very long time!  I don't mind it as a backing, but am just not a fan of it paired with the cotton for a quilt top.  I am also annoyed that I had to add quite a bit of my own stash to make what was marketed as a quilt into actual quilts and not blankets.

So much for a "quick" quilt project.

All I know is that I can check them off my UFO list!!!

Anyone else have frustrating experiences with what should be the easiest quilts ever?

WIP: A Fresh New Start

I am trying to have a new outlook since a new month has started.  I am trying to lose all angst and anxiety over the quickly approaching holidays.  Instead of avoiding or fearing my list like I did last month, I am going to start posting the laundry list again.

Finishes:

Special Delivery Quilts

via Flickr

Are all finished!!
I haven't had a chance to edit the pictures, so they will be coming...stay tuned.

In Progress: 

Hexies

I have been in the car this week.  A lot.

Thank goodness for handwork, right?  I have these layouts pieced...well one more row to go.

The question is, due to the bad news of losing all those pre-cuts?  I have no idea what I am doing with these.  

Wish me luck.

Spiders and Webs, part deaux

I pieced the top!!  

I just have to trim the ends of the extra points and cut and sew border/sashing. Oh and quilt and bind, right?

Now that I put it that way...I have a ways to go, no? 

Wish me luck.

do. Good Stitches

I received the last two blocks from the ladies at Imagine@do.goodstiches last month!  It is time to start piecing it together! I was worried about the fact that I was really broad when I said ANY gray.  But I think it will work.  I have already decided that I want to do these on point.  In case you don't recognize the block, it is a paper pieced creation from Lily Quilts.  She calls it the ET Phone Home block. You can read more about my inspiration for this quilt here.

I am still mucking around with the layout.   I just ironed them and stuck them up on my design wall, so don't get too excited about unbalance, okay?  I also did not make my blocks in anticipation that I would need a certain shade of gray to fill in here and there.  At this point?  It has so much potential.  I obviously need to shift things. After that, I still have to make a big decision about sashing.  Do I pull the red?  The blue? Or the aqua?  Do I try to find a print fabric with all the colors?

Wish me luck.

Button's Nap Mat

Since Button has been healthy and attending preschool more, he seems to be adapting to the Stay and Play time in the afternoon.  I opted for it because he at least gets an hour and a half nap.  It is complicated to explain, but he would not get that much if I picked him up earlier! 

However, I realized that even though he has a mat at school, he is sleeping on plastic!  He curls up with his "buddy" blanket, but nothing else.  So, of course, me being the concerned mother, I have to make him a nap mat, right? 

I've chosen this fun dotted cotton from my stash.  It actually was intended for a maternity scrub top way back when, but I never got around to it!  I want it to be super comfy, so I have the plan to use the brown minky on the sides that he will be laying on.  We shall see how this goes! 

Wish me luck.

No Progress:

Primarily Sean's Quilt  

Figgy Pudding Christmas Quilt

Baby Girl Quilt

Craftsy Quilt

Thank You Quilt

Retro Flower Quilt

Merry, Merry Snowman BOM Quilt 

Here's to hoping that I can make some progress!  I just need Button to stay healthy so I can actually take advantage of his preschool days!  He has been quite sniffly again.

Any bets that my WIP post will look pretty much the same next week?
Wish me luck?

Linking up with Lee.

Guest poster Debbie from A Quilter's Table is in charge today!

The Bodkin

This little tool is fairly new to my stash of goodies. I have been using safety pins to feed my cords, ribbon, and elastic through casing ever since I can remember. I have heard of bodkins before, but never had the urge to buy one.

I finally did this summer and love it! As you can see above, it is like a pair of tweezers. You grab the end of your elastic/cord/ribbon and then slide the small ring towards the end.  It gets nice and tight! 

You feed it through the casing with the rounded head first and your elastic/cord/ribbon trailing behind.

I like how it is rounded at the end and slides through the casing nicely. I also like that it is longer than a safety pin and substantial enough to feel it through the thickest of materials.

One note, because I think this is one of the most important tips when you are feeding something through the casing.  I know I said it yesterday, but I will say it again....pin the end of the item you are feeding to the edge.  It will save you a lot of heartache!

There are a few brands of bodkins out there.  

Some actually look like large plastic needles that you place the elastic in the hole with.

Bone Bodkins by Wm. Booth Draper

 And Clover has a twin set.

But if you have a Hobby Lobby nearby?

Get yourself one if you have a bit of room in the budget!!!!

But if you want to continue using your safety pins...I promise...I won't judge!!!!

Ironing Board Cover {Tutorial}

I have a confession to make.  I hardly ever use my normal ironing board.  I pull it out when I am working on really large quilts, sewing/hemming window treatments, and other larger projects that require more room than my small portable ironing board.  I actually iron our clothes on this small board.

Unfortunately, after my debacle with my old iron, I had horrible spots on my board.

I know it could look worse.  I know I could buy a new one.  But it goes against my need to be thrifty.  How do you fix it?  You give it a makeover, right?

 ---------------------------------------------------------------

IRONING BOARD MAKEOVER {Tutorial}

Supplies:

  1 yd.  of home decor or quilting cotton fabric
1 1/4 yd of elastic (1/4-1/2 inch wide)
Thread
Rotary Cutter/Ruler
Bodkin (optional)
Safety pins

First, the big debate.  What fabric should you use. You need to decide how pretty or pratical you want it.  Pretty designer fabric?  Ugly home decor scraps?  I went with some home dec scraps that were neutral.
 I know.  Boring.

Cut your 1 yd piece to a 32 x 36 inch rectangle.

Fold the rectangle in half.  Then fold it in half the other direction.  All four of your corners should meet in one corner.
Grab your ruler and rotary cutter.  As you can see, I lined up mine to cut a 4x4 square out.

Did you cut them yet? See those two short 4 inch edges where your fabric used to be?

Bring those two short ends together.

Sew the two ends together using a 1/4 inch seam allowance.

Fold your edge of the entire piece twice.  The first fold and press the hem 1/4 inch.   Then another fold a smidgen (veeerry technical term) larger than your elastic.  In this case, I folded it about 3/4 inch.

Stitch the casing as close to the edge as possible to allow enough room for the width of your elastic.

Run your elastic through the small opening you left un-stitched. I use a bodkin.

When you start, I recommend pinning your one end to the edge of the fabric.  I cannot tell you how many times I have threaded something through a casing and ended up realizing my end was halfway around the project already.  Very frustrating!

 Pull the elastic so you have a good amount to manipulate.

Secure them with a quick stitch...hand or machine.  If you decide to do it on the machine, I recommend a zig-zag stitch.

Close the remaining opening with a quick ladder stitch or whip stitch.

Looks like a bottom mattress sheet, right?

You can stop right there, but I decided to add a spot for the handle of the board to slip through, last minute.

When my board is not in use, I tuck it in a small space next to my cabinets, so the handle is pretty handy!

 Measure 2 1/2 inches from the edge.

Cut a slit the width of the handle. I just felt along the outside to feel the bump of the handle.

 A simple 1/4 fold to the wrong side of the fabric and zig-zag stitch the raw edges.

 It isn't beautiful, but the outside looks nice...who is going to look on the inside, anyway!?!?!?

It has been two months since I did this makeover, and it is still hanging strong.  I took this picture today to prove it!

I am really happy with the makeover.  It makes a nice neutral background for projects too! 

If you are less chicken than I, bust out that piece of designer fabric that you have no plans for like my friend, Julie at Distant Pickles.   

Psssst....it is in conjuction with her Simplicity Bias Tape Maker Review (which someone JUST asked me about yesterday), so make sure you pay attention to the fabric UNDER the fabric!!

 I will stay boring and conservative, as I keep drooling over other ironing board covers!